When you want to do a touch-up in your vehicle or need to order a replacement component, you may wonder what your BMW’s paint code is. This paint code is used to identify the specific color of any vehicle and the exterior finish.
This code is written on a sticker that can be easily found under the car’s hood or in the driver’s door jamb. These two places are the main areas where you’ll find the color codes, though there are other places where this color code can be located depending on your BMW model.
In some models, you’ll find the color code in the strut tower brace or along the fender edges. Knowing where the color code is located can save a lot of your time & effort, and get the right paint code for your vehicle.
So, in this blog, we’ll look at the complete guide to finding the BMW paint code.
where to find paint code on bmw
As I said earlier the paint is located at different places for different models and generations. But we’ll discuss all the locations where you’ll find the paint code on BMW.
The paint code is usually made of three numbers, sometimes which is followed by a suffix with a slash or a fourth digit (number/alphabetical).
Let’s look at the locations:-
Paint Code in Older Vehicles:
The paint code on older BMW models can be found along the driver-side strut tower. To find the code, open the hood and stand facing the rear side of the vehicle, you’ll find a rectangular placard in the engine bay with the paint name (mostly written in German), and just below that you’ll find the paint code.
Paint Code in Modern Vehicles:
In modern vehicles, the paint code is printed on a sticker along with the VIN code which is located in the driver’s side door jamb. With two or three numbers along with a number or slash.
How to find the BMW paint code Using the VIN?
If you can’t find your BMW paint code locating the above-mentioned places, then here you’ll learn to find your paint code using the VIN code. The Vehicle Identification Number(VIN) is the most common and easy way to find out the exact paint code.
So, follow the steps below to find the paint code:-
- Locate Your BMW VIN: The Vehicle Identification Number or VIN is a 17-digit code, which is a dedicated number for your vehicle. This number is located on the driver’s side door jamb, on the dashboard, near the windshield, or you can find this number in your registration papers.
- Search Online: This is a very easy way to decode your VIN online and get the exact paint code. To do that simply search on Google “BMW VIN Decoder”, and you will find many websites that allow you to enter your VIN code and get all the information about your car, including the paint code.
- Contact Your BMW Dealer: Another simple way is to just contact your BMW dealership and give them your VIN. And they will be able to give you the exact paint code of your vehicle.
- Build Sheet: Some BMW owners may have access to their vehicle’s build sheet. If you’re one of them you can simply check the build sheet and find the paint code there.
What If I Have 490 Paint Code?
The 490 paint code represents a custom order paint. This is taken from BMW’s individual catalog, where they offer unlimited custom colors, and also dedicated colors which will not be used in other production cars.
This means you’re getting a dedicated paint color for your BMW, which makes your BMW rare & unique. As well as finding the exact touch-up paint is harder. You may also not find any exact touch-up point, or any paint shop may not be able to replicate the exact color. Because with a unique color that has used a unique painting style, very hard to replicate.
As stated earlier the paint code can be located in different places, depending on your BMW models & generations. One of the most common places is the left side of the engine bay. Also, the label near the strut tower is a common place to find the paint code.
So, by reading this I think you’ve found your paint code, and do a wonderful paint job.
No, the paint code may be on the same sticker as the VIN, but the paint code isn’t the part of VIN itself.
Simply locate the paint code on the label which is under the hood or in the driver’s door jam. The driver’s side of the hood and near the strut towers is
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